It became a hard night for Shaffi Mather. His mom became having intense respiratory problems and become choking, and the confused household couldn’t locate an ambulance to take her to the physician. Somehow, they managed to reach the clinic on time.
Coincidentally, some days later (this was in 2005), a similar incident passed off in the ways-off US. Ravi Krishna’s mom collapsed. Within minutes, 911 arrived, supplied scientific aid, and took her to a medical institution for fast remedy. Both friends mentioned the situation and couldn’t assist notice the difference in both situations. The availability and accessibility of standardized emergency scientific offerings (EMS) are what stood out. Clearly, the trouble in India in 2005 was the need for a fast emergency provider.
After many deliberations, the duo determined to start Ziqitza Healthcare Limited (ZHL). The goal is to create the best reaction service in India that would be at par with the United States 911 and the UK’s 999. Ravi and Shaffi roped of their friends Manish Sacheti, Naresh Jain, and Sweta Mangal, who supported the idea.
Together, they began the business enterprise. Today, Ziqitza – available on 108 and 1298– is the second-largest ambulance carrier company within the country. The enterprise has been instrumental in offering first-class pre-health center care for pregnant women, infants, and people laid low with medical emergencies. They work carefully with numerous State governments to ensure timely assistance through their EMS.
The company has increased to greater than 10,000 employees across India and has a footprint throughout 16 states beneath 3 carrier fashions. Ravi and Shaffi aren’t running within the everyday operations of the agency any further.
We have pioneered the GPS tracking machine in ambulances and have trained a couple of lakh EMTs throughout us of a. Ziqitza presently manages PPP-based pre-hospital care and emergency medical offerings in Madhya Pradesh (the first country to combine numerous ambulance offerings below 108), Punjab (that is our 2d term in Punjab), Odisha (2nd time period right here as properly), Jharkhand, and Sikkim,” Manish says.
The early days
Ziqitza Healthcare started in 2005 with 10 ambulances and a preliminary investment of Rs 2 crore. The group started with sales of Rs eight lakh inside the first yr of operations and clocked Rs 450 crore in FY2019. Over the years, the company has witnessed exponential growth, and the variety of ambulances has grown to 3 three hundred.
When we began operations in 2005, it became initiated with the passion of 5 experts across unique walks of lifestyles who felt the need for an organized ambulance service in u. S… We began with 10 ambulances and have been bootstrapped. As we grew, we started out garnering hobbies from the investor network. We have received investments from Acumen Funds, True North, and IDFC bank, which helped us scale up. At this stage, we are actively looking at another spherical of investment to make bigger operations,” Manish provides.
The group claims to have served greater than 1.6 crore people throughout India and to have competently transported greater than 44 lakh pregnant women. Ziqitza Healthcare now has traders like Acumen Fund, HDFC, IDFC, and India Value Fund Advisors Pvt. Ltd on board.
Working across the challenges
In 2005, putting in an incorporated helpline and EMS device that labored become a tough assignment. Of the early days, Manish, who is the CFO, says: “One of the key demanding situations of setting up the provider in India was the absence of an integrated helpline variety. Different districts had extraordinary telephone numbers that humans ought to dial in, in case of medical emergencies. Some of those numbers have been so long as 10 digits.
Difficult to don’t forget. Apart from placing an included service, spreading awareness of the helpline turned into every other key undertaking. The crew related to the Government of Madhya Pradesh to begin an incorporated helpline service in the State; different State governments are seeking to mirror this now.
To spread cognizance approximately the service, the group carried out outreach programs thru diverse mediums of communications in conjunction with ‘First Responder Programmes’ (FRPs) to make people aware of the DIAL 108 provider, intended for human beings laid low with clinical emergencies.
